All are manipulations used by people to pull teens into human trafficking, according to Laura Boatwright Straniero, who, along with her husband, Bryan Straniero, delivered presentations on the issue to Berkshire Schools students and staff this week.

Both graduates of Berkshire High School, the couple is a strong proponent of spreading awareness about human trafficking which is presently the second largest and fastest growing crime around the world.

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They have worked with victims of the atrocity and have given talks on the subject both in the U.S. and overseas.

While on a church mission trip to Bolivia about five years ago, the couple became involved in helping those victimized by human trafficking through Suti Sana, an organization providing opportunities for holistic transformation for women attempting to leave prostitution in the country.

"When we got to Bolivia and worked face to face with women who were trafficked. It tugged at my heart and I couldn't sleep at night," Straniero said. Upon returning to the U.S. they continued their mission.

The couple works with the Collaborative Initiative to End Human Trafficking, a group of concerned persons and organizations in northern Ohio; Word Made Flesh; and other prevention advocacy groups.

Speaking to a class of junior high students, she alerted them to the fact that more than 1,000 teens are being trafficked in Ohio and thousands more are at risk.

She told of a case where a 14-year-old girl named Tasha was invited to a party with a friend. Once at the location she was not allowed to leave, physically restrained and finally forced into a vehicle driving her far from home and into the world of trafficking.

Straniero stressed that the crime can happen to anyone, but especially those who place themselves in certain situations or who possess vulnerabilities.

For example, male traffickers often come on to young girls as the older, experienced boyfriend who lavishes them with gifts and promises to help them fulfill their dreams. If the teen has low self-esteem or an unhappy or abusive home life the girl might find the offer appealing. The more involved she becomes the more control he has over her, eventually exploiting her for money and keeping her trapped.

Straniero noted that runaway teens are prime victims and that within 48 hours of living on the street are likely to be met by traffickers.

"Slavery is alive and well and the fact of the matter is that you are at risk." she told the group of students.

Average life expectancy for someone being violated by the trafficking trade is seven to 10 years, as most victims age extremely quickly and either die or are killed.

During the presentation several groups of photos were shown depicting the physical changes individuals have undergone in relatively short amounts of time. Girls starting out with healthy, youthful appearances ended up looking sickly and decades older than their actual change because of physical abuse, forced drug addiction and other harmful elements.

Straniero explained that trafficking is not limited to prostitution, but also includes slave labor, and noted that several products routinely purchased, such as food, clothing and technological devices are made by the hands of those forced into unpaid labor and treated inhumanely. The website, slaveryfootprint.org can be helpful in alerting individuals to items made using slave labor, she said.

She then posed the question "What's allowing the culture of today to say it's okay to purchase a person?" Her answer was that the proliferation of television shows like "Pimp My Ride," clothing bearing such words as "porn star," pornography and violence toward women lessens the significance of the problem.

"When we participate in it or joke about it, it desensitizes us and opens the door for trafficking," she said.

Red flags to recognize signs of potential human trafficking were explained to the students. They included dating much older men who present themselves as caring and loving partners; visiting with friends who have much older "friends" hanging around; and being sweet talked by someone who promises to buy expensive gifts or other items.

"If you see these things you need to start conversations with someone you can trust," Straniero said, and added that the students could possibly save a friend's life by reporting it.

Berkshire High student Alley Corrigan was so impressed by the presentation that she has decided to work with the couple for her senior service project.

Ally said she feels "super safe" in the Burton area, but added "we're not always in Burton."

Student Abby Clarke also found the information beneficial.

Asked what she would tell her peers after what she had learned, she replied "To be careful. If you have a bad feeling about a place ... just do the buddy system or have your cell phone, be sure someone knows where you are."

The Stranieros said they were pleased to deliver the information to the students.

"We hope this really ignites other schools in Geauga County to spread this message," she said. "It's my hope and my goal that these kids can put on glasses and see this world in a new light. This is our new prevention tool -- that they can be aware."